Why aren’t GP Surgeries open at the weekends?

[Nosleepforthismum]

Wondering why most GP surgeries don’t open at the weekends? Is it because of GP shortages and not wanting to piss off the already overworked and overwhelmed doctors? Due to a shortage of GP’s in general or some other reason?

Coming off the back of another A&E trip this weekend for my three year old DS. He gets croup unusually severely and his breathing always gets extremely laboured which requires Dexamethasone to bring it back under control. We’ve done this trip a number of times as often he gets ill over a weekend or a bank holiday and so inevitably we are sent to A&E. The times he’s fallen ill on the week days we’ve been seen and treated by the GP.

Would it not be a better system if GP surgeries were open at the weekend to relieve the pressure on A&E? Am I just being a bit too simplistic to think this should work?

Yes this is true. When we offered early morning appointments most weren't booked and the rate of people not turning up to those which were booked was high.

I don’t think the answer to people not being able to get appointments during the week, under the current system is to make fewer appointments available during the week, @TeamPlaying. Your suggestion would change when the appointments are available, not the total number of appointments, and I can’t see that helping.

If you want a seven day service, and more appointments available, you need to staff it in the same way hospitals are staffed, which requires more doctors, nurses and support staff.

My gp is open until 8pm Tuesday and Wednesday for

Seriously? I can only assume that you spend your day reading the daily mail

I’m a hospital doctor in a truly 24/7 specialty, married to a GP. When I work a weekend I do my normal job, when he does a Saturday surgery nearly half the patients don’t turn up, and the slots are never filled. This is exacerbated if it’s sunny, or there’s football on.

General practice isn’t an emergency service, and tbh I’d want a child with croup seen somewhere they can monitor oxygen sats. I hope your DS is feeling better now.

Because there's no funding to- and it does mean more staff or the lack of appointments monday- friday would get worse

Given that higher pay levels are expected at the weekend, you wouldn't get one weekend appointment for every weekday one that is cancelled, so that doesn't seem like a great idea.

It is the contract that was negotiated in 2004 (ish) when GPs negotiate not to work, be on call or open at weekends like they used to.

Final point. Yes hospitals are open 24/7 but at the weekend we basically provide emergency cover only with only a tiny fraction of staff on site. For example in my specialty we have approx 100 consultants working M to F. But only 2 or 3 are on call on each weekend. We occasionally run extra outpatient clinics at the weekend, but they are expensive and hard to fill.

GPS must be rubbing their hands with glee now Labour are back in. Look what happened last time they got in. Kerching

I had an appointment on a Saturday . It’s called extended access, it wasn’t at my normal surgery .

Exactly this.
We are not an emerg service. Most gp practices are private business.

They can not afford to staff at weekends.

GPS don't work in a vacuum. There are other services they rely on to be open. Pharmacies, blood test transport, labs, IT support, community nursing, social work, cleaners, admin, practice staff etc etc. It's not as easy as just changing a GP's rota.

Because I am utterly knackered working 12 hr days during the week.
I also do 1-2 after hrs shifts at our local walk in centre.
There are times when I am so exhausted I wonder how safe I am.

They really should be and be staffed accordingly. It would massively reduce pressure on a & e.

In our area there is an OOH GP service, they do it in a rota at different health centres in the area and you don't necessarily see a GP from your own practice but it is almost like they want it to not be busy as it is like the best kept secret. There is no advertising of it and they very rarely offer you na appointment there unless they can tell you are getting to the end of your tether with trying to get a convenient time in the week. I've asked specifically for an OOH appointment and they seem shocked that you have got through their secret system. I even went for a smear at a local clinic between Christmas and New Year and I thought that was very handy as the appointments at my practice were booked up weeks away.

Very much not. Streeting has no new ideas.